GUACAMOLE GATE: Popular chain sets the record straight

GUACAMOLE GATE: Popular chain sets the record straight

Don’t hold the guac. Folks thinking of hoarding avocados after Chipotle warned in a recent regulatory filing that climate change could cause it to stop serving guacamole and salsa should brush up on how these disclosures actually work.

The buzz launched after liberal blog ThinkProgress noted Tuesday that Chipotle had included in a filing last month a line about how cost increases in food prices due to global climate change could possibly cause it stop serving guacamole and salsa rather than pay the higher prices. The story quickly went viral.

But while some of the stories are written factually, the headlines may mislead some readers.

Chipotle has set the record straight by saying if the cost of ingredients jumps, the company said it “may choose to temporarily suspend” serving items such as guacamole or some salsas.

“This is nothing more than routine and required risk factor disclosure,” said Chipotle Communications Director Chris Arnold. “The sky is not falling.”

The good news is Chipotle customers won’t have to deal with guacamole withdrawal anytime soon.